AIBU to think we don’t want driverless taxis?

[Burnedbyquestions]

Driverless Ubers now bookable in London - as a pedestrian I would not feel safer knowing cars are driverless and as a taxi passenger I want to support humans to have a livelihood, not increase numbers on benefits and give Uber more profits. Surely most people agree? Appreciate taxi drivers need tighter controls after all the sex attack and intimidation problems but I don’t think driverless anything is the solution.
If taxis were that cheap what would happen to buses/trains? The roads would be clogged up with individual passengers in cars instead - I can’t see the point of them.

I get quite a few taxis and although most are fine some of the driving is extremely questionable. I think a driverless car would be significantly better than 2 I've had in the last year who made me genuinely fear for my life. I think in London where you never get above 20mph they would be absolutely fine. At this point I wouldn't trust them on country roads though, but that day isn't far off!

I cant wait to use one either although i disagree about uber drivers, they are among the most courteous drivers on the road. I find black cab drivers can be a lot more aggro

Assuming they roll out Uber Access style vehicles at the same time, it could be a game changer for the less able. (Not that anyone cares about that, naturally).

I think the last point is valid. Things like the updated highway code changes that are not followed by any drivers like give way to pedestrians crossing in a side road. This will all be programmed in to driverless cars.

We are all ignoring the elephant in the room about what's made getting taxis unsafe for women. Tighter regulations would solve the issues. While there have always been the odd psychopath, there wasn't the opportunistic sexual assaults/rapes. Perhaps consider what's changed and deal with that. Driverless taxis/cars have caused fatal crashes, as well as other incidents.

By definition, automous cars will have to follow whatever the driving codes state

Not quite sure why someone as thick as me has to be the first person to ask when will an autonomous car be made to take an old fashioned driving test.

And - much more pertinently - what will happen when it passes ?

If an autonomous car can run 20 hours a day (put 4 aside for charging) then having a 1/10 share in one working as a taxi would seem to be a very attractive investment.

And regarding charging ... autonomous cars could just make best use of all available charging points in a city. You know - the ones that are empty 20 hours a day.

I saw this and thought the same, swiftly followed by the realisation that our roads would be a lot safer and nicer to drive on if you swapped men for driver-less cars. I can't imagine angry men would make very good passengers if they stick to the speed limit and take time to indicate, etc.

Maybe we are facing a future where people with the most traffic violations are gradually phased out and off our roads by being the first targeted to use this in the mainstream.

Saying that I did see that documentary about them all polluting and clogging up areas of American towns to the point people vandalise them. We don't need to encourage any more vigilantes.

I am afraid that technology isn't there to save peoples jobs.

It's amusing how much of this debate was originally aired when everyone was telling the world that cars would never replace horses. Along with Henry Fords famous observation about the intelligence of the market.

But it only takes a moment of distraction for a human to crash.

Horrendous idea.
Speaking from a London perspective, where Khan has successfully decimated our wonderful Black Taxi trade, having —been bought off—caved to the Uber monster, driverless taxis are just a further decline into mediocrity & yes dangerous territory.

We have already had accidents where a Waymo drove the wrong way through the Picadilly underpass & their depot in Woolwich has already highlighted some real logistics issues (not helped by the current roadworks scheduled to end next year).

In the context of a cost of living crisis, to introduce driverless taxis that render all Uber drivers defunct & without employment, placing unlicensed minicabs in a stronger position, this seems ludicrously risky, short-sighted & lacking in any human interaction. Are our young adults set for a life of communicating only with devices & robots?
Sad times- it’s a fat no from me.

Black taxis are too expensive. I prefer uber

They’re actually not, this is a huge misconception & are far safer than Uber.

What it will come down to is that is safer to be driven by a robot that a real life MAN.
You can't really argue with the figures on that, for women.

Unless some man hacks the driverless car and ‘drives’ it to an isolated location with you in it.

More female taxi drivers instead of this science fiction business, please

Driverless cars won't work round here, if my new car with 'driver assist technology' is anything to go by. It doesn't understand that vehicle can be approaching on the opposite side of a twisty, narrow but still wide enough for 2 cars, road without crashing into each other
I frequently have to over-ride the technology to be able to get anywhere.

We passed one in central London a few days ago. I don;t thin they work very well in London. They are designed for the grid system of roads in US cities and the culture of no jaywalking etc. In London with the mish mash of streets and pedestrians swarming everywhere they will not cope.

Are they? I prefer uber

Uber prices are cheaper. There's something called competition..never felt unsafe in an Uber.

Do you not think they would have trained them up on UK roads in the years of development that has gone into this?

I want my own driverless car. I can't wait. As long as it's safe

It dosent matter what she says . It's coming whether we like it or not.

Depends on the type of car, the availability etc. I like my local taxi firm. Reliable, trustworthy. Nice, clean cars.

Tesla's working on this in Texas.

That's your choice. You can make it. If someone else wants Uber they can get Uber. Wonderful how free choice works.